And
The Walls Came Tumbling Downby
James Phillips
September 14, 2001

Skopje,
Macedonia  The terrorists destroyed the building,
surprising everyone with a well-planned sneak attack. The ground trembled
as the structure came tumbling down, shaking the very foundation of
a nation. The perpetrators were unknown, although government sources,
the media and many stunned citizens indicted Muslims. Muslims had
the motive and the means, and have committed other acts of terror
upon innocent civilians. Identifying followers of the Islamic faith
as the terrorists responsible for the terrifying explosion was an
easy choice for many of the victims.

The
destroyed building was located in Macedonia, not the United States,
and although the destruction was much greater in New York City, the
victims from the mountainous village of Leshok understand what it
is like to suffer at the hands of terrorists.

"Terrorism
is terrorism," said Gorgi Dimitrijevski, a 30-year-old refugee
from Leshok. Gorgi once lived in the Macedonian village where a large
bomb, allegedly planted by rebellious ethnic Albanian Muslims, destroyed
the historic Orthodox Christian Monastery in Leshok on July 21, 2001.
"We never wanted this to happen to any people," said Gorgi,
referring to the bombing of the World Trade Center. "But, it
will make Americans understand what is happening in the rest of the
world."

"I
want to give blood for the American people because we know what it
is like to suffer," said Gorgi Dimitrijevski as he donned a clean
shirt before visiting the office of the American Red Cross.

Gorgi
lived with his family in a small hotel room in Skopje, Macedonia after
they were made homeless by terrorist acts committed by rebels of the
National Liberation Army. "We have terrorist acts here, too.
Albanians are the terrorists. When the war start, America turn their
back on Macedonia and support the Albanian terrorists. For us, they
are bandits; for America, the Albanian Muslims are fighting for human
rights."

The
American Red Cross office in Skopje did not have the facilities to
take Gorgi's blood, but the deputy head of the Regional Delegation
invited the young Macedonian into an office to talk about the offer.
David Haskett, a 45-year-old
American from Alexandria, Virginia sat patiently and listened while
Gorgi spoke about terrorism facing both Macedonia and the United States.

"As
someone who has been driven out of home, I would like to tell the
American people that I feel the pain they are feeling," said
Gorgi. "I would like to donate blood. There are other people
who want to help because, although we are very angry with the American
politics in the Balkans, we are not angry with the American people."

Gorgi
and his family are "internally displaced people." The Albanian
Muslim rebels of the NLA have attacked their village, forcing most
of the people to evacuate their homes. The NLA continues to occupy
territory in Macedonia, and the government has been unable to respond
militarily because the United States and NATO have pressured Macedonian
politicians to negotiate a peaceful settlement. In Macedonia, the
international community has rejected the use of force as a response
to terrorism.

"I'm
asking you as a humanitarian, how would you like to see people suffering,"
asked Gorgi. He had scanned the headlines of his local newspaper before
going to the American Red Cross office, and knew that the United States
would certainly retaliate against the terrorists responsible for the
destruction of the World Trade Center. Gorgi looked at the deputy
head of America s premier blood collection agency, and said "If
the United States can fight terrorism, why not Macedonia?"

It is
a question on the minds of many Macedonians, and one that was deftly
deflected by David Haskett. "Unfortunately, many of us do not
donate blood until a tragedy or sad event happens and impacts us directly,"
said Haskett. "On the issue of politics, the American Red Cross
is neutral, we're impartial. We do not deal with politics. We deal
with the needs [of the people] as they surface."

The
needs of the people of New York City, and all the other American victims
of terrorism, will be catered to during the coming weeks, months and
years. Blood will be donated by thousands of concerned people from
around the world, including Gorgi. The government of the United States
will avenge the horrific crimes committed against Americans on September
11, 2001; many more thousands of innocent people will undoubtedly
die when the retaliation begins. Terrorism against Americans will
never be tolerated, nor will any possible settlement of grievances
be negotiated.

The
rubble scattered in the streets of Manhattan dwarfs the small pile
of stones that was once the Leshok Monastery in Macedonia; and, instead
of only one person dying, as happened in Leshok, the deaths caused
by the actions of terrorists in the United States will rise into the
thousands. The people of America will demand justice, and will allow
their leaders to obtain it using whatever means necessary.

The
people of Macedonia, currently embroiled in political negotiations
to end terrorist acts in their own country, will soon observe the
response to terrorism by the United States and ask themselves: "Why
not Macedonia?"